**Former Vernon Hills Ambulance Headquarters to Become Early Education Center**
Fortec has acquired a 15,040-square-foot warehouse formerly used as an ambulance facility, located at 401 W. Sullivan Drive in Vernon Hills, Illinois. The $1.7 million purchase is part of a larger $5 million investment to convert the building into The Nest School-Vernon Hills, an early childhood education center slated to open in spring 2026.
The project is being financed through a lending partnership, and construction is expected to be completed by mid-2026. Milo Spector of Northmarq represented Fortec in the acquisition.
The Nest School-Vernon Hills will be the fourth collaboration between Fortec and The Nest Schools, a rapidly expanding early childhood education provider with more than 50 locations across the United States.
“Turning a former ambulance headquarters into a beautiful, high-quality preschool speaks to what Fortec is all about,” said Pablo Barreiro, Chairman of Fortec. “We saw the potential in this property to once again serve its community – this time by educating its youngest residents and bringing jobs to the area in the process.”
